Assembly Resolution No. 773

BY: M. of A. Anderson

MEMORIALIZING Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim
April 2022, as Second Chance Month in the State of
New York, in conjunction with the observance of
National Second Chance Month

WHEREAS, Every person is endowed with human dignity and value; and

WHEREAS, Redemption and second chances are American values; and

WHEREAS, An estimated 70 million American citizens have criminal
records which creates significant barriers to employment, economic
stability, and successful reentry into society; and

WHEREAS, The U.S. Department of Justice reports that every year,
approximately 640,000 individuals returned to their communities from
state and federal prisons, including approximately 20,000 from the State
of New York; and

WHEREAS, Second Chance Month is an opportunity to reaffirm the
importance of helping people who were formerly incarcerated reenter
society, address both the root causes of crime, and the underlying needs
of returning citizens using resources devoted to prevention, diversion,
reentry, trauma-informed care, culturally-specific services, and social
support; and

WHEREAS, Often times, individuals who have paid their debts after
committing crimes face barriers to reintegrating into society; and

WHEREAS, Many of the barriers do not account for the seriousness of
the offense, the time passed since the offense, the individual's efforts
to make amends and earn back the public's trust, or whether the barrier
has a proven public safety benefit; and

WHEREAS, Ninety percent of those who have previously been
incarcerated struggle to find employment because of both societal and
legal barriers; and

WHEREAS, Education has also been shown to be a significant predictor
of successful reentry; and

WHEREAS, Those with criminal records generally have lower levels of
educational attainment than the general population and have significant
difficulty acquiring admission to, and funding for, educational
programs; and

WHEREAS, Barriers may prevent the 70 million Americans with criminal
records from contributing fully to their families and communities; and

WHEREAS, The 15th Anniversary of the Second Chance Act of 2007,
which has provided reentry services to over hundreds of thousands of
people in 49 states and the District of Columbia since its passage,
falls on April 9, 2022; and

WHEREAS, The designation of April as Second Chance Month can
contribute to increased public awareness about the challenges faced by
those who have paid their debts, and opportunities for individuals,
employers, congregations, and communities to extend second chances: now,
therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
memorialize Governor Kathy Hochul to proclaim April 2022, as Second
Chance Month in the State of New York; and be it further

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause further to honor the work
of communities, governmental institutions, non-profits, congregations,
employers, and individuals to remove unnecessary legal and societal
barriers that prevent individuals with criminal records from becoming
productive members of society; and be it further

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause further to call upon the
people of the State of New York to observe Second Chance Month through
actions and programs which promote awareness of the challenges facing
those who have paid their debts and opportunities to unlock second
chances; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to The Honorable Kathy Hochul, Governor of the State of New
York.